This Italian Lemon Barley soup will transport you immediately to Tuscany. It’s perfectly balanced with the brightness of the lemon, earthiness of the rosemary, and heartiness of the barley. So, dive into your new favorite go-to!
The best part of this one pot meal is the simplicity of the ingredients and the fact that it is so easy to make. After all, when you’re in the middle of a tough week at work and nothing seems to be going right, you still deserve to have a delicious homemade meal without a ton of hassle. Am I right? This soup is the perfect way to have exactly that; all ease and zero struggle.
Just because this recipe is easy to make, doesn’t mean that it’s lacking in taste, because, flavor is everything. The lemon and rosemary are both strong flavors. You’ll find a bright citrus essence from the lemon and an almost pine like earthiness from the rosemary, and they compliment each other perfectly. Add the acidity and slight smokiness of the fire roasted tomatoes and you’ll agree that the base of the broth is purely divine.
But that’s not where the flavor of the broth ends. There are also Italian spices, a touch of sea salt, and a little bit of black pepper to add some heat to the soup.
WHY VEGETABLE BARLEY SOUP IS A HEALTHY FOOD CHOICE
Ok, so now that we’ve convinced you that the broth in this soup is delicious and that the soup is easy to make, let’s talk about why it’s a healthy choice for a quick meal.
Just because this soup is simple, does not mean that it’s deprived of nutrients. To start off this nutrition info sesh, let’s chat about its main ingredient: Barley.
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF BARLEY
Say sayonara to the days of having to have dairy to build strong bones. Barley is taking dairy’s place and it’s here to stay. This ancient grain has iron, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and… drum roll please… CALCIUM! All these ingredients combine together to help our bodies build strong bones without all the negative side effects of animal-derived-dairy. Plus, it really is a delicious tender grain that pairs well with basically any dish!
Still not convinced that this soup should be at the top of the food pyramid? Then let’s keep going down the list of ingredients.
WHY YOU SHOULD EAT MORE CELERY
CARROTS SHOULD BE A DAILY FOOD CHOICE
Carrots are very high in antioxidants. And, they’re good for your vision.
TOMATOES ARE AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF LYCOPENE
Oh, and tomatoes are a fantastic source of lycopene!
There are also chickpeas for protein and mushrooms, which are turning to be another super food. Who knew?
So, when you add the lemon and rosemary broth to the barley, celery, carrots, mushrooms, chickpeas and fire roasted tomatoes, you get a bowl of super foods that not only taste amazing together, they’ll satisfy you and help your body stay as strong and well as it can be.
So scroll down and write those ingredients on your next grocery list so you can make this incredible, easy, and healthy soup!
Make this and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
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A healthy and delicious lemon rosemary broth with garbanzo beans, fresh vegetables and tomato. Easy to make!
- 1 Cup Dry Barley
- 3 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
- 14.5 oz Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes
- 15.5 oz Garbanzo Beans
- 3 Medium Carrots peeled and diced
- 3 Stalks Celery
- 1 Large White Onion Diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Cup Diced Baby Bella Mushrooms
- 3 Sprigs Rosemary
- 1 Lemon Juiced
- 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 Tsp Sea Salt more or less depending on your tastes
- ½ Tsp Black Pepper or to taste
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Heat a large stockpot on medium-high heat.
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Once heated add 1 tbsp of veggie broth and the onions.
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Sauté the onions until they become translucent, approximately 7 minutes.
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Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms, and garlic with another tbsp of vegetable broth. Stir and cook until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 10 minutes.
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Continue adding veggie broth in 1 tbsp increments while sautéing the vegetables so they don't stick to the pan.
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Add the garbanzo beans, barley, rosemary, Italian seasoning, crushed tomatoes and the rest of the vegetable broth to the stock pot.
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Bring the soup to a boil, then quickly reduce to a simmer.
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Cook for approximately 40 minutes, or until the barley is done. It should be firm and chewy, not mushy.
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Add the salt, pepper, and lemon juice and stir to combine.
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Remove the rosemary from the stock pot and serve!
The Nutrition Facts are an estimate only.
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